president obama has named a longtime foreign policy aide to be his next white house chief of staff. the president described him as a close friend not afraid to deliver a straight talk. mr. obamas said he played a key role in every national security decision of his administration. in northern mali, islamist militants destroyed when a strategic bridge. it is the bridge that thousands of african troops were planning to use to reinforce the battle against the rebels. even as the french-led military operation gathered strength, there are warnings of a humanitarian crisis. 350,000 people have been uprooted by the violence. we have this report from the central town. >> they may be hundreds of miles away from home, but these children still find a reason to play. 10 months ago, their family was forced to flee their home. armed militants were threatening them. the workforce in the women to cover their faces. this young unmarried woman says she was taken away and interrogated after she dared to speak to a male neighbor. >> they came and put their guns in my face. i followed them. they kept me